Ichiamo used these rumors to get them on his side, and with the announcement he was going to make, he was going to shock some people.
Before he said anything, he turned to Baptista, who was behind him. Baptista gave a nod and it was all Ichiamo needed as he began to speak.
“I’m glad all parties involved could come here,” he said. “I came here because all of you have doubts about this war and doubts about me. That’s why I have to say my special announcement. This could decide who comes out of this war in the end. However, it’s not without risk.”
Then, the special group came: Second Renaissance scientists and advisors appointed by the Lysander Foundation.
“These men have been working with a special project,” Ichiamo explained. "I will let them explain what it’s all about.”
Ichiamo took his seat and let the special scientists have the floor. Three men took center stage. Two would talk while a third would present them with pictures and maps of the surround ATM as well a special map of the planet Troyuvant with special holograms. It was proven that these men knew and have worked on occasion with the latest technology.
One of the scientists, Conrad, talked first. At the same time, he presented them with a special hologram from a small pocket computer. It showed the blueprints to what was said by the strators to be some kind of strange capsule.
“This is a Nova Bomb,” Conrad said. “It’s has been years in the making, even before this strange war happened.” He pointed out the dimensions and the measurements of it. The Nova Bomb was supposedly the size of one pillar of the Santos Palace. "It’s not the outside, but more of the inside that counts. This bomb has enough elements in it that could literally… cook a planet.”
The other scientist, Conrada’s partner Leonato, spoke. “If put on the right spot, it could destroy a planet completely. The end could definitely justify the means with this instrument.”
They gave close-up demonstrations with the holograms of the bomb hitting Troyuvant. Ichiamo watched the audience and he was correct about their reaction. Their jaws dropped and terror struck them all.
On the hologram, the bomb literally made a mess of the entire countryside of Troyuvant.
“But there are risks, as my partner has told you,” Leonato said, being the more benevolent but concerned one. “This is a destructive weapon. If used, it could mean a lot of lives taken and the crust of the planet cracking.”
“Worse,” Conrad said, "this could cause black holes and suck in anything it comes into contact with. Since Troyuvant has plenty of moons, the ones closest to the planet will be the most effective. Put the bomb on one of the smaller moons, the planet could diminish within seconds.”
Conrad and Leonato talked more and more of the pros and cons of the bomb, leaving some blue in the face. They could not fathom something of this magnitude causing such destruction.
Ichiamo took the floor again. “So I talk with you on this day, my people. We’re planning to drop one of these bombs on the heart of Troyuvant.”
One of the strators, an upstart named Salarino, stood up. “You’re actually saying that there are more of these bombs?”
“At least seven,” Conrad said. "After we had done some testing in a faraway place, we knew that this could be the start of something. So we made more just in case this happen again.”
“Then, it was taken from us by followers of the House of Latium," Leonato replied. "Us being Second Renaissance followers don't associate ourselves when these vile men. Luckily, thanks to Baptista Lysander, we were able to recover the Nova bombs. And we can supply them to you if needed."
“That’s a lot of power for one to have,” Salarino said. “But you also said that many lives can be taken from this.”
“That’s true,” Ichiamo said, “but it won’t be any worse than the lives we’ve already lost from this war. Now all of you came to me time and time again, asking me when this will end. Well, now I have an answer for you. However, I won’t use it without the support of the people in this room, the people of Crystal Metropolis and the entire ATM?”
Ichiamo paused for a few minutes. He knew that this was going to be crucial for the ATM. Someone with that kind of power could be as ruthless as ever, making the people feared and want to harm that person. He knew that if it ever came to that kind of power, his rule was over for sure. At the same time, he knew that the war would continue if a decision was not made.
Thus, more questions would arise from the ordeal.
“The people will never know,” Ichiamo finally said. “But the enemy will. They want death. This is the next best thing. And yes, there’s a concern about innocent life. Well, that would be the ultimate cost. So this is when I ask you what’s more important? The lives sacrificed to end the war or the lives of our soldiers to continue it?”
The room went silent immediately. No one knew what to say at that moment. All eyes were on Ichiamo, and this time, probably the first time, they did not see a fool. They viewed a major player who knew about odds just by watching his forefathers.
Whatever decision was made, it would bring the fate of Ichiamo’s rule and the Force of Arms War once again on a threshold...
****
Lucius Gaines was back in the air, on the mission he thought he was not going to get. What was different was that he was going at a slower pace. Partially, it was because he was not flying his typical Ostro fighter. He flew the wider, longer planes that were mostly flown around Crystal Metropolis for recreation and can carry many passengers known as the Beau Lombards. He was the pilot of one along with another pilot from Sicili.
The other difference was that he played air guard to two other Beau Lombards connected together. On the bottom of the plane was the Nova Bomb, the secret weapon brought secretly under King Ichiamo’s supervision, courtesy of thirty Ostro fighters. He was to play guard for the time being with the bomb until it got on station, so it could become equipped with the latest element needed to pack the explosive punch.
There was another mission made by Ichiamo himself.
He could remember the day he went to see Ichiamo Santos. He was in Solaria, just getting over the loss of some of his comrades, and itching to get back in space. That chance came when he received a call from his captain call telling him to go to Crystal Metropolis immediately upon a summons.
Upon arrival to the royal capital, he was greeted by some of Crystal Metropolis’ Democrat Guards and taken to the Santos Palace.
All of his dreams about Crystal Metropolis were true. It was a fairy-tale place so beautiful in person. He would hear stories about the small planet and wanted the chance to go there one day.
Unfortunately, it was not a happier time. He could not go on tour or check out the landmarks and the street life. He had to go to the king to get his orders. Then, quickly back to the air he would go.
He went to see the king, the second time he saw him in his life. This time, Ichiamo was much bigger in person. In truth, Ichiamo was getting fatter as he was aging, but he still kept exercising and keeping his figure in check. Lucius was sure Ichiamo would not remember him, but the middle-aged man was not completely brain-dead.
Lucius thought that he was going for orders, but got more than what he bargained for.
At first, he stood in attention and Ichiamo told him what he wanted.
“I need a pilot to fly one of our Beau Lombards,” the king said. "You along with another plane are going to guard two planes that will be holding our secret weapon. You remember that special plan I had up my sleeve? Well, this is it. The Nova Bomb could make or break this war. However, there’s something much more important that you have to do. This is something I haven’t told anyone, not even the strators.”
Ichiamo took a breath and relax carefully. He took a drink of some wine, a habit he picked up since the day the bomb was brought to Crystal Metropolis. Lucius was nervous enough that the king made this decision, but Lucius could tell that what the king was asking him was going to be worse.
The king took out many sheets of paper and slid it down to the end of his desk in his office.
“What’s this?” Lucius asked.
“This is your true mission once you get to Troyuvant. There are only a few people that know about this list. Your job will be to lead at least twenty Lombards and take at least four million people out of Troyuvant and take them back to Solaria. There, they will be stationed at a place especially made for them.”
Lucius stood confused. Ichiamo rose slowly and went to the edge of his desk to sit down.
“I can see that you have concerns. Why this? Well, I know that this is going to be a destructive blast and it can literally destroy a planet. I want to at least save some lives, so at least I won’t be known as a complete psychopath like Cheron.”
“Cheron Santos?” Lucius asked.
“That’s right! I know that I’m taking plenty of risks. But look at it this way. I could not use this bomb on the hotspots and more lives will be taken. Then, I’ll be blamed for that. The way I see it, no matter what I do, lives will be lost. The only question is how badly. Tell me, Lucius Gaines. If you were in my shoes, what would you have done?”
“I…I don’t know, your majesty. You’re probably right about it being a lose-lose situation.”
“You know, when I first became king, no one thought I could do the job. Everyone thought I was a fool. Even as a child, I was considered a fool. Unfortunately, they weren’t far from the truth. I was a fool. Lately, I trained myself to escape that truth. I had my hands into everything without anyone ever knowing. But I knew with everything going on in this planet, if I wanted to stay alive, I have to let people believe that I was still the fool. I guess you can say I was playing the fool…to fool everyone…”
From that, the conversation shifted. No more talk about the mission. For some reason, the king started talking more about his life. He talked about his deceased father and brother Dromio. He talked about Nero Santos and his grandmother, Luciana. He even talked about the many murders he witnessed, including the worse being the Priam Murders on the night that he was made king.
He shook his head, wondering how he survived Luciana's treachery to gain the crown, Timon's family purges, Cheron's reign of terror, and that night of blood when the Fallen Court unleashed hell on the Santos Palace.
He could still remember how Andromache Santos’ was killed right in front of him and Cheron’s heir was slammed to the floor and head cracked open without another thought. Worse, not only did he have to let his killers go just to stay alive, he had to give them power positions as well, even when he knew that they would soon turn on him as well just to show they could.
“Why are you telling me this?” Lucius asked.
“Maybe because I’m sick and tired of holding it in,” the king said. “I didn’t want to be king. I was just made king because I didn’t want to be killed. I'm not strong. I'm a coward."
Then, he started pacing around the room. Lucius stood still the entire time.
“One day, Lucius, Crystal Metropolis will be a republic. There will be no more warlords or kings ruling this planet, especially those run by my family. And I’m pretty sure that one day is going to be soon. I’m just counting the days. I don’t ever want to see another day like I saw during Cheron’s rule. There’s just no reason for that. I know I can’t be the one to do it. That must go to someone else.”
Then, from out of nowhere, he went to Lucius’s face. “After this war is over, I want you to come back to Crystal Metropolis. I’m pretty sure that you’re going to be needed here.”
“Really?”
“Sure. Why not? You’re doing this for me. It’s the least I can do. You’re probably one step ahead for this place being a republic. And if you do well where I placed you, there could a bright future here for you.”
“We have to win the war first,” Lucius said.
“With brave men like you, I don't see how our enemies can win."
It was one of most pleasant conversations Lucius Gaines ever had in his life. Ichiamo Santos was a man he could respect as a leader and as a possible friend...
****
After he left the space station, Lucius’ plane, along with twenty other Beau Lombards, were heading to an island called Fevesham. What he found out was that Fevesham was a concentration camp, where the House of Latium held prisoners of war as well as citizens of Troyuvant. He and the rest of the pilots went to the powers that be of the concentration camp system and gave them the papers. They knew what was going on. One of the pilots came with suitcases of money.
Lucius’ eyes circled the situation. He could tell that something was really off. King Ichiamo had never told him this. Was this his plan the entire time, he thought. If he was, then Ichiamo Santos was not a fool, but probably the most calculated trickster he ever came across.
Throughout the entire time he was there, he and the rest of the men rounded prisoners up to send them on the planes. The names were called and the people went there without the slightest idea what would happen next. Lucius could tell some of them were scared, and their fear came into him. He knew that there was a slight chance that they, as well as himself, could die on this trip to Solaria; and even there, they could die in the desert.
It was a crucial time and it was only going to get worse when they escape Fevesham and back into space.
Once everyone was rounded up, they left the concentration camp. The people cheered, loving every minute. Lucius kept his cold demeanor on his plane, and he was sure the rest of the pilots did the same. The prisoners were pleased to be free, never knowing that within a few hours, Troyuvant will cease to exist. They did not know that they would have to live the rest of their lives either with the remaining families members they had or alone in an unknown, lawless land.
Despite the possibilities, the main concern was escaping the Nova Bomb.
The trip lasted for five days. There was no activity in space. No one came to attack them. For some reason, the entire trip was serene. They ended up in the Solaria Desert. What they found was there were houses and all sorts around the area.
The place was called Santos Street. Another surprise, courtesy of Ichiamo Santos and Crystal Metropolis.
The mission was the strangest that he had ever been in. He was expecting some kind of action, some kind of element of danger.
All he knew was that he was away from Troyuvant and the Nova Bomb. All he could do was imagined what would happen and hope that the remaining people that were there will not know what hit them and their spirits would rest with the gods, or whatever Second Renaissancers believe…
****
After a long journey in space, trying to escape the war and everything else, Cassio Ramirez returned to Cyprun. The last time he was here, he left Cyprun on a mission; a mission that he thought he would never return. All he thought about was her. The woman he loved and left abruptly.
When he flew around Cyprun soil, he saw that things were different. He saw some trying to find lost relatives and friends. Infrastructure was damaged. There was no more Rooster Boys and any soldiers boys for that matter.
He thought of only one place he needed to go.
He ended up at Bianca’s family villa. He feared the worst. There was nothing much left from the villa but rubble and broken pillars. Everyone was gone. No Bianca Stilicho waiting for him to return. He arrived too late. Bianca, and half of Cyprun were gone, possibly dead or prisoners of war.
He found a servant who was trying to clean around the home. Cassio ran to him.
"Excuse me," Cassio said frantically. "Do you know of a woman named Bianca Stilicho? She owned this villa?"
"I don't know her," the servant answered. "My guess is she left the Santos Villa with everyone else!"
Cassio interrupted. "Santos? What do you mean Santos Villa? Bianca Stilicho owns this villa."
"No! This is the ancestral home of the Santos clan. It was once owned by Pisanio Santos. Pedro Santos remodeled it for his--"
&nb
sp; "Pedro Santos? Are you serious?"
"He would have women here all the time. It was his way to house them while he was in Crystal Metropolis."
Hearing the story from his servant after the ordeal he had to face coming here, all of his hopes and dreams were shattered in minutes. Bianca was not waiting for him. There was no one here waiting for him. He thought that being captured by terrorist forces, being put into some concentration, escaping with the help of his wits, flying all over space to escape enemy fighters, and thinking of Bianca throughout the entire time, was enough pain.
This was worse.
Cassio walked around the ravish Cyprun countryside, wishing to die, not knowing that he could not have picked a greater time to be away from Troyuvant...
INIQUITOUS DOMINION: The Galactic Classic Page 25
